ceiling. the house of representatives is back in session today, too, and republicans are just as adamant, insisting they won't raise the debt limit, unless the president goes along with spending cuts. let's go live to cnn white house correspondent brianna keilar. >> reporter: president obama stating very clearly today that he will not negotiate deficit reduction, tax increases and spending cuts attached to the debt ceiling. this of course does follow that bruising battle the year before last, where he did negotiate on the issue, and the u.s. nearly went to the brink of default. he said that congress has to pay the bills that it's already racked up. >> you don't go out to dinner and then, you know, eat all you want and then leave without paying the check. and if you do, you're breaking the law. and congress should think about it the same way that the american people do. you don't -- now, if congress want, to have a debate about maybe we shouldn't go out to dinner next time, maybe we should go t